Positively Impacted: How the people you surround yourself with influence your personality

It’s the day of my biology exam, and I spent all night learning what mitochondria are and who Charles Darwin was — I certainly wasn’t thinking about what to wear to school. 

But when 7 a.m. rolls around and I’m mindlessly staring at my closet, I wish I had laid out an outfit the night before. Throwing on an old sweatshirt from my brother’s college and a pair of blue jeans, I quickly tie up my Converse before making it out of the house. Stepping into my first hour classroom just a second before the bell, one of my friends compliments my outfit.

“Where’d you get your jeans? They look so good with your top.”

Thankfully, I have supportive friends that impact my personality and mood throughout the day. 

My face lights up as I hadn’t thought of my last-minute outfit as looking put together, only a pathetic attempt. 

It’s a cliche warning every parent gives from time-to-time to ensure their child isn’t befriending the wrong people: you become who you surround yourself with. 

As a person who finds it easy to look on the negative side of a situation, I admire my friend who is able to distract herself with positive thoughts and affirmations. Instead of complaining about the upcoming absence of late starts in a few weeks, she decides to focus on the extra seminar time to complete homework. When I catch myself thinking, “You can’t do this assignment” or “This week will be horrible,” I remember her example and attempt to flip the scenario around. 

A positive person doesn’t have to be your best friend, they don’t even have to directly call you out as they lift up others. This person can simply be living their own life without the thought of influencing others. A friend might simply just choose to go to bed early one night to rest up for a big day instead of spending time glued to their phone, inspiring you to follow in their lead.

According to the National Library of Medicine, people who are optimistic experience a higher quality of life than those who lean more on the negative or even pessimistic side. 

Turns out, by hanging out with those who cheer me up, I could have a richer high school experience. Instead of sitting next to another girl at lunch who complains about tests all the time, I choose to sit next to those who remind me of the exciting labs afterwards.

The attitude that you give off every day builds up and forms a reputation in others’ minds. Not only is this an inspiring way to lift up others, but it’s also critical as your every word is shaping how others view you as a person. Many people will forget the exact words you say to them, but they will remember how you made them feel.

Just like how negative numbers combine to create a greater negative number in math, the same can be applied to people. If you stay around the people who give off a negative vibe, it only causes yourself to build upon their behavior. We all want to feel appreciated and loved, but the only way to start is to look at the value of your own actions.